B.C. Lions head coach and general manager Rick Campbell on Tuesday announced that backup quarterback Jake Dolegala will be the starting quarterback while Vernon Adams Jr. recovers from a right knee injury. Chase Brice will be the backup quarterback.
“Jake’s going to be the guy,” said Rick Campbell. “He’ll get all the reps the starter would normally get. Chase (Brice) will get the backup reps and away we go.”
Jake Dolegala is six foot seven and weighs 242 pounds. The 27-year-old from Hamburg, New York, signed with the B.C. Lions on February 14, 2024. Dolegala came in after Adams Jr. suffered the right knee injury against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers completing 1 of 3 passes (33%) for 12 yards.
Dolegala signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He also spent time with the New England Patriots twice, the Green Bay Packers twice, and the Miami Dolphins.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed Dolegala as a free agent on February 15, 2022. In 2022, Dolegala completed 16 of 35 passes (46%) for 154 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and two carries for 12 yards in two games.
In 2023, Dolegala completed 216 of 333 passes (65%) for 2,641 yards, 11 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 26 carries for 95 yards, and one touchdown in 13 games.
Collegiately, Dolegala played four seasons at Central Connecticut State (2015-18) completing 654 of 1,136 passes (57.6%) for 8,129 yards, 48 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 233 carries for 452 yards, and 18 touchdowns in 44 games for the Blue Devils.
